Senator Carr has announced he will resign his position in the Australian Senate from tomorrow.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University, Dr Michael Spence, said that as a former Premier of New South Wales and a former Foreign Minister of Australia, Senator Carr is uniquely positioned to contribute to the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC), Australia's premier interdisciplinary centre of academic excellence on Southeast Asia.

"Home to almost 10 percent of the world's population, Southeast Asia is of strategic importance to Australia's trade, defence, and education," Dr Spence said.

SSEAC brings together nearly 230 academics from more than a dozen faculties who are actively engaged in academic and policy research relevant to these areas.

As Foreign Minister of Australia, Senator Carr worked to build stronger relationships with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and to restore global diplomatic relations with Myanmar following the government's release of opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He was also extremely active in supporting Australia's relationship with Indonesia.

As a Professorial Fellow, Senator Carr will play an active role in the life of SSEAC, engaging with our academics and students, representing the University in the public sphere in Australia and promoting it in our region and beyond.

"He will make a vital contribution not only to this already vibrant centre, but also to the standing of the University and the nation in Southeast Asia," Dr Spence said.

More information about the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre is available on the SSEAC website